SEE IT: Tatís robs Zimmerman with insane leaping catch originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
With the Washington Nationals leading the San Diego Padres by one run in the top of the eighth inning, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman appeared to slap a breaking ball into the left-centerfield gap.
Fernando Tatís Jr. had other plans.
The Padres star shortstop seemed to hang in the air forever as he snagged the line drive off Zimmerman’s bat for the second out of the inning, keeping San Diego’s deficit to just one run.
Take a look:
Tatís has been often criticized for his defense dating back to a poor 2020 season in the field, but plays like the one above show just how naturally talented he is with the glove, too. At the plate, Tatís is already one of the best hitters in baseball, as the Nationals saw first-hand on Monday night when he launched his 27th home run of the season.
Fortunately for Washington, the Nationals would hold on and defeat the Padres, 7-5, in a game they definitely needed after losing four straight to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the holiday weekend.